TRACK AND FIELD: Marshall, Sullivan, Tanseco medal on Day 1 of PIAA Championships

Methacton’s Aghina Marshall, right, placed fourth in the Class AAA long jump Friday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University. (File photo by Mark C. Psoras/21st Century Media)

Marshall captured fourth place in the long jump with a personal best 18-4¾. Just 3/4 of an inch behind her was Owen J. Roberts junior Holly Sullivan, who captured fifth in the long with an 18-4.

And Perkiomen Valley junior Macey Tanesco captured seventh place in the shot put with a 40-1.

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No area boys medaled in the six Class AAA field events contested Friday. The remaining field events and all running events will be decided Saturday.

Marshall’s timing this season worked out perfectly. She peaked just as the season was winding down. She took the bronze in the long jump at the PAC-10 Championships with a 16-7, then bronze at districts with an 18-1¼, then upped it again by 3½ inches to finish fourth best in the state.

“I was so happy,” Marshall said. “It was so unexpected. I was just really happy and surprised because this is just my first year in everything, my first year doing long jump.”

High jump and triple jump had been her focus until this season.

“My coach told me I should do it, and a few other coaches said that I would probably be good at it,” she said. “So I just listened to them and decided to try it. And it just kind of clicked near the end of the season.

“I don’t know what happened today. I was just kind of feeling it even though it was really cold outside, but I couldn’t let that affect me. I knew it was my last chance this year because it’s states, the season is over. So I just kind of kicked it out.”

Marshall had nothing to lose. She was the unknown sophomore.

“That really did help,” she said. “I wasn’t really expecting that much going into it. I was like, whatever happens, happens, I’m here. And I got fourth.”

Sullivan won the district gold last week with an 18-10¼. Naturally, she would have loved to jump longer and finish higher here.

“I feel good about it. I think I definitely could have jumped better,” Sullivan said. “It wasn’t quite as long as my district jump, so I definitely was a little disappointed and feeling like I could do better, At the same time, you can’t complain because you never know what is going to happen with jumping, Jumping is sometimes good and bad, so I’m happy that I could pull off a decent jump on a not-so-good day for me.”

She’ll be back today, this time on the track.

Sullivan also qualified for today’s finals in the 800, where she took the silver at districts and the gold at PAC-10, and ran the second-fastest prelim time in the 800 with a 2:16.38 Friday.

“It definitely feels good to have the long jump done and to have a medal in it,” she said. “I feel I have at least accomplished something already. That kind of takes some of the pressure off the 800. At the same time, I really want to run well in the 800. I’m definitely more nervous for the 8(00) just because that’s harder sometimes, a little more painful.”

She also qualified for states last year, but did not go because of a stress fracture.

“This does make up for it,” she said.

Tanseco, also the recent PAC-10 shot put champion and a silver medalists at districts, admitted she was a bundle of nerves in her first states competition.

“Before we got into finals I wasn’t sure if I was even going to make it to finals, so I was really scared,” Tanseco said. “I ran up and down the street yelling, ‘Please, please, please, let me be ninth so I can be in the finals,’ and crossing my fingers.

“And when I actually made it in finals, I wasn’t even sure I was going to get a medal, so I was really thrilled that I did with a 44-1. And then I was completely ecstatic. I couldn’t even believe I made it into the final, and then I got a medal, so it’s pretty amazing. I’m pretty flabbergasted.”

Nine competitors advanced to the finals, but only the top eight earn medals.

For Tanseco, the switch from a promising young hurdler to a standout shot putter and discus thrower is in itself pretty amazing.

“I was doing hurdles in middle school and was kind of good at it until I took a nasty fall, while demonstrating for the younger kids,” she recalled. “And I could never get over it again. I am totally afraid of hurdles. I can’t even watch it, it’s so scary. But I didn’t want to quit track. I hate quitting things and it really bothers me. So I thought, I can’t run very well except for the hurdles and that scares, so I might as well try shot put. And I was pretty good at it, so I stayed with it. And that was back in seventh grade.”

Tanseco also still has discus on Saturday. But shot put is her best and favorite event.

“Whatever happens in discus, I’m completely happy that I am standing here,” she said. “I’m totally ecstatic and happy with what I have accomplished today.”

About the Author

Rosemarie Ross is a veteran sports reporter for The Mercury. A native of Germany, she began her career with the former United Press International pioneering the role of women in sports reporting. She was worked in Trenton, Phladelphia and Patterson, N.J. and has covered pro sports and boxing. She is a member of the National Hall of Fame for her boxing coverage. She covers high school sports -- and loves it. Reach the author at rross@pottsmerc.com
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